News in Brief 11 September 2015 (PM)

Five cholera treatment centres have been established in Tanzania following recent outbreaks of the disease in the country, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported.

So far, there have been more than 970 cases of the diarrhoeal disease, including 13 deaths.

WHO says cholera is recurrent in many African countries due to factors such as poor hygiene and sanitation, but also a lack of planning ahead of potential outbreaks.

Forestry congress concludes

Forests can play a “decisive role” in ending hunger, improving livelihoods and combating climate change and must be recognized as “more than trees.”

That was the message coming from a week-long global congress on forestry which concluded in Durban, South Africa, on Friday.

The outcome document, known as the Durban Declaration, calls for forests and trees to be integrated with agriculture and other land use to address deforestation and conflict over land.

It also stresses the need for new partnerships with various sectors—finance and energy, for example—and “strong engagement” with indigenous people and local communities.

National Geographic wins top UN environmental prize

The National Geographic Society, one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world, has been named a Champion of the Earth by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

In announcing the award, UNEP praised the National Geographic Society for engaging people worldwide in addressing environmental issues, ranging from air quality and biodiversity, to sustainable cities and ecosystem management.

The Champions of the Earth award ceremony will be held later this month in New York at the close of the UN summit on sustainable development.

Other winners include the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit, which protects a wildlife reserve in South Africa.